U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,391,209 and 4,437,649, the specifications of which are incorporated herein by reference, include a discussion of prior art electrodes to which the present invention pertains. The electrodes of the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,391,209 and 4,437,649 contain a mass of metal in the form of an electrode which can be put into a torch and an arc struck between one end of the electrode and a workpiece. Simultaneously an oxidizing gas such as oxygen is conducted down through a center bore in the electrode so that the mass of metal is consumed to produce products of combustion or a flame which is the operative means for performing a cutting or piercing operation. The patented electrodes can be used not only to cut structural materials but to cut through ferrous and non-ferrous metals below water. Both of the aforementioned patents include a listing of prior art devices which are used above water and which may take the form of a tube into which there are a plurality of elongated rods, one of which is usually of a readily oxidizable metal such as aluminum or magnesium, and which can be used with an oxygen gas to perform the cutting operation.
British Pat. No. 1,469,074 illustrates an attempt to make a coated electrode by binding together several solid core coated electrodes around a central fluid passage formed by the coating. This type of electrode does not permit the user to stop the electrical current once the arc is initiated.